I went to the cherry Blossom festival on the 29th which was a Saturday. It was pretty busy and…read morelively. I used to take my kids when they were small and it was very exciting and there was always so much to see and do. The entertainment was very lacking and even the vendors were sparse compared to 15 and 20 years ago. I like to go see the vendors and also the food trucks. For the most part, I believe it is quite overpriced for arts and crafts as well as the food trucks. I tried a burger and fries from the burger Brothers food truck for $16. The patty on the burger was probably half the size of the bun and it was overcooked and dry and the bun fell apart immediately. The french fries tasted like they have been fried in fish grease. Needless to say the entire plate went into the trash and I really regretted losing $16. I also went the day before and tried to eat at the parish restaurant. I had an appetizer of tiny crab claws, which were overcooked and extremely salty with a bowl of gumbo which tasted as if it had been scorched and added too much water because there was absolutely no taste except for the scorch. I also had a Caesar salad with grilled chicken. The salad was quite tasty, but the chicken might have been maybe 2 ounces. Not even a half of a chicken breast. I did explain to the waitress about the crab claws and the soup and she just told me she was sorry and gave me my $60 bill. All this saddens me and is probably the last time I will go to the cherry blossom festival.

Sharing my Google review here as well to hopefully spare at least one person from the…read moredisappointment that this festival is. One day...you're going to decide you want to see the cherry blossoms in DC, and then you're gonna check the hotel and ticket prices and decide that's not happening this year. Then you're gonna ask your good old buddy chat gpt if there is any other place you can see cherry blossoms over the weekend, and it's gonna tell you...omg did you know that Macon, Georgia is the CHERRY BLOSSOM CAPITOL OF THE WORLD???? And you're gonna be like omg I didn't know that! That's a 5 hour drive, it must be a hidden gem I have to go see the CHERRY BLOSSOM CAPITOL OF THE WORLD!!! And on that day when you decide you're gonna drive to the CHERRY BLOSSOM CAPITOL OF THE WORLD... please just don't. Just save some money and go to DC or Seattle or Japan. This " festival " is smaller than any weekly street fair in any town I've ever lived in. And also less interesting. And there are maybe a few cherry blossom trees. There's rides for kids... but I don't know how you could manage to spend more than 2 hours here. To see the blossoms you have to drive around people's neighborhoods. You can't just walk around and see the blooms, you have to awkwardly drive in front of people's homes and decide how you feel about taking pictures of blossoms in front of random people's houses. The marketing team for Macon definitely deserves a raise though, they had me sold

I love it every year to take the kids everything be so beautiful the kids really enjoy the drive…read morethrough

It is right off the main road which causes a traffic jam with the cars that want to keep going…read morestraight down the road if they can get someone to direct traffic it would be great. The lights are pretty awesome, they have quite the spread of lights but if you can't get out of the car how are you able to give your donations? All in all it was less than a 10 min drive through but definitely was great to see.

This is probably the worst fair that I had to pay money for. Nothing compares to the Minnesota…read moreState Fair. They take it seriously up there. In Georgia, there's at least three fairs. The Georgia National Fair in Perry is the actual good one but kind of far from Atlanta. I have not been to the North Georgia State Fair. Have you ever been to a fair on in a grocery store parking lot such as Plaza Fiesta I'm Buford highway? This is similar except slightly larger. There's a lot of carnival rides and overpriced food. My problem with this fair was that none of the ticket people knew anything about the chainsaw juggling act and couldn't point me in the right direction. Nobody knew anything about the wrestling either. I eventually found the wrestling but it was hidden behind some ferris wheel. The only thing that's worth watching is the circus performance. It's definitely not Cirque du Soleil quality but it's good for the kids. Would I come here again? No. I don't think it's worth the hour drive for me.

Was visiting worth my time?! No…read more The drive was far. You had to pay for admissions and then parking. There were more rides than actual shows. And even with the advertised shows, we could not find anyone to tell us where a particular show was. They sort of pointed us in a random direction. And the shopping area was sort of sad tbh. I have seen local festivals selling a lot more variety of things.

BEST "COTTON PICKIN" FESTIVAL THIS YEAR!…read more Well, I was off to explore yet another festival this weekend and it was a blast! The Cotton Gin Festival was started back in the late 80's as a fundraiser to save the historic Agnes Hotel. It proved to be very successful and now occurs annually. The drive to the town of Bostwick was great because it is very scenic and quaint. We love the things that we saw on the way: baby goats playing in a front yard like they were little kittens, horses,cows and awesome cotton fields . I love cotton and I am just fascinated with touching raw cotton and borrowing samples from certain museums. My husband thinks it's like stealing a Van Gogh but I only grabbed a little to put in my pocket. However, I am happy to say that today I was actually able to PURCHASE my very own sample. Our favorite experience at the festival was touring the historic cotton mill. We were able to tour the mill and see that awesome gin at work. We actually saw the cotton vacuumed into the machine and transported throughout where it was cleaned, de-seeded, compressed and packaged for transport. It was the coolest thing ever!! Every single bale has a sample removed and sent to a government agency where it is inspected and evaluated. This tour was not just about seeing a cotton gin, it was a great opportunity to educate the public about the cotton industry. This festival is a great event for the entire family. Along with tours of the cotton mill, there was also an early morning race and a parade. The festival featured various vendors selling, clothing, jackets, jewelry, handmade soaps, wood crafts, winter accessories and more. I found a great hooded wool poncho that was handmade and super warm. It was sold by a Native American vendor who had great outerwear, bracelets, necklaces, hand puppets and more. Unfortunately he did not have a business card or the name of his business posted. This is not uncommon but it causes these small businesses to miss out on getting recognized with a Yelp review. I really like being able to "shine the light" on these small businesses so that they get the attention they deserve. In addition to vendors, there was a parade of various antique tractors and a few classics. It was incredible because there were so many tractors that it was just dizzying! Some of them were very rustic while others were beautifully restored. It was just great to see so many classic vehicles still loved and appreciated. Love it! Every festival has to have good food and great music and this one did not disappoint especially when it came to the music. I do not know the name of the band but they were so professional and so good that I would absolutely pay to hear them play again anywhere. They kept everyone thoroughly entertained. As we actually sat down to watch them, we noticed that we were sitting under a pecan tree. So we had fresh pecans to snack on while we jammed to the music. Perfect! For lunch we actually had some deliciously smoked ribs which is one of our favorite festival foods and a slice of buttermilk pie. In addition to all of the activities and businesses to interest adults, there was also a petting zoo and a huge play area for the kids. This festival absolutely had something for everyone and is highly recommended for all. ***Now to the issues that need to be addressed: During the festival, one should never run out of water and soap. This is just unacceptable. One should also never, ever run out of tees so early in the day, especially when it comes to the larger sizes. Additionally, tees should be designed to fully embrace the tractors and the cotton gin theme as in prior years and be available in complimentary colors. It is really not that difficult. I look forward to attending next year and having a great time! Just have my t-shirt ready please. PS If you are a vendor who sells clothing, outerwear or accessories, please consider bringing a mirror along so that customers can conveniently see themselves in the items they are wanting to purchase (instead of trying to rely on their phone). Thank you!

its the first weekend in nov. every year good food,music , tractors ,ex. very good festival to go…read moreto. see ya there

This is a great event to go to to kick off spring season…read more Local artists and vendors come here to sell their arts, crafts, and artisanal-style food. This is a great event to buy your gifts for the rest of the year! They had a food area with a few food trucks and you're reliable festival food booth. If you're old enough to drink, you can purchase some local brewery beers while you stroll through the event. They also have porto-potties in quite a few places. If you're looking for parking, then you will have to find some place in the neighborhood. I highly suggest you arrive in the area 15-30 mins before the event starts. I also recommend bringing your own lawn chairs/picnic blanket and water to hang out for the live music. There are a few games and events for the kids to participate in. So, a great event for all ages!

The Bessie Branham park is a great place for a festival. It has plenty of field as well as trees…read morefor shade. (I would bring my picnic blanket next time!) The "spring fling" has enough tents set up to offer different foods, crafts, and art. There were standard fair food as well as unique items such as basil lemonade. There was a large stage where a band played. Music could be heard throughout the festival. There were tents lining 3 sides of a square. The park is big enough to host hundreds of people without feeling crowded. There were some picnic tables and a few benches. This was more of a family event as I saw many families with young children. Many of them took advantage of the children's playground at the park. Park in the neighborhood but be aware of congested streets. With cars lining both sides, in some areas, cars could only go in one direction.

Macon Film Festival screens independent films from around the world in multiple historic theatres…read morethroughout the city's downtown district. Filmmakers and film lovers converge for 4 days of film screenings, workshops, celebrity guests, and after parties. Definitely try the world-famous MAGATINI, the festival's signature cocktail, served each night at the after party.

When you tire of city living and need an escape, point your car toward the perimeter and start…read moredriving. Keep going until you see some good road kill. Squirrels don't count -- you see those in the city. I'm talking about possums, armadillos and porcupines. Chances are you'll bump into some kind of festival in a nearby small town. And that's how I discovered the Sunflower Farm Festival in Rutledge, GA over the 4th of July weekend. Barely 45 minutes away from my condo in downtown Atlanta, but a world apart, it's billed as a "Good Old Fashioned Family Fun Time In The Country!" And despite my lack of family, I did have fun. I arrived early enough on Sunday morning to catch some of the Sunday Morning Jubilee, featuring fine bluegrass gospel tunes by the Rocky Creek Band. I didn't feel so guilty about skipping church as the sweet sounds of "Just A Closer Walk With Thee" wafted through nature's own cathedral of tall pines. With barely 6,000 people in attendance over three days it's more relaxed and less crowded than the massive festivals held in the city. There's a real charm to the artists and crafters market, unlike the slick juried shows at big city festivals. I delighted in choosing between buying corn cob jelly or banana nut bread jam. The bird feeder I purchased, made from a vintage cup and saucer, will make a unique gift. Like any good festival, there are food vendors, including the requisite junk food purveyors selling funnel cakes, and get this, fried Oreos, Twinkies and Snickers. I did my cholesterol a favor and took a pass. Activities for kids included pony rides, a petting zoo and a hay ride. And instead of sand, the kids play box was filled with corn kernels. Isn't that cute? The signature event allows you to wander through 15 acres of sunflowers and cut as many as you can stuff into a bucket for $15. That's a lot of smiles and sunshine to carry home. The thing about small town festivals is that you hear about other festivals too, like the Cotton Gin Festival and the Christmas In The Country Weekend and even the Loachapoka Syrup Sopping Festival in Loachapoka, AL. If the Sunflower Farm Festival is any indication, I see more small-town festivals in my future.

This is probably the largest and best festival in the state of Georgia and well worth visiting. The…read morefestival spans multiple closed streets around the park. It's also conveniently right off the crosswalk from the Inman Park MARTA station - don't bother looking for parking as there is very little. You can also walk to the festival using the Beltline. The vendors are mostly craft and include original art, pottery, handmade bags, the list is huge. There's also plenty of food vendors for even the picky eater. Make sure to bring plenty of filtered water or stick with beer. This is a must-attend show.

Did you know Inman Park was Atlanta's first suburb? That's why there's a Trolley Barn. The two-mile…read morecommute (in the 1800's) was more easily handled by trolley. (#publictransportation, ahem!) Since the 1970's, The Inman Park Festival is something of an Atlanta tradition. There's a tour of homes, a 5k run, a parade, and (of course) a big street market featuring all sorts of colorful, local arts and crafts, beauty & skin care, foods and spices, home accessories, woodworking and ceramics... This year, I picked up a few items to gift to my friends. There are hosts of things to try and do, including activities for kids, and a really cool Dance Festival where you'll see stellar dance expositions from Atlanta's best dance companies. The food scene is pretty much what you'd expect. All the standard offerings from frozen lemonade to corn dogs, funnel cakes to pretzels, all the "regulars" are there. Sometimes I wonder if there will ever be a way to make the street-fair food scene innovative and not just regular. Still, this is among Atlanta's best run, and well-organized Festivals. See you there next year.